Hertfordshire Genealogy: BENNETT, Walkern, late 19th century

BENNETT, Walkern, late 19th century

2001

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PLEASE NOTE: When this question was asked the amount of information available online was very restricted and the only census available (on a CD) was the 1881 census. The answer given below should be carefully checked using the additional information now readily available online.

Michael Bennett (bennett123 @t xtra.co.nz) of Waipawa, New Zealand says "My Grandfather (Percy BENNETT) was a police constable, born on May 14th 1890 in Walkern according to London Metropolitan Police records. He married Beatrice Mary LOWE at Walkern on July 19th 1911, (also from Met. Records). I have gleaned much information on earlier Bennetts but cannot quite make the link up. A Mr. Beadle, of Walkern, has helped me considerably by mail, and it seems that Percy's father worked for Wrights Brewery as a dray driver in which occupation he was killed by his own dray running him over."

You do not say which, if any of the relevant records you have looked for, but the relevant parish registers and census for Walkern have been microfilmed and are available to order at any LDS Family History Centre. I think the nearest to you is at Omahu Main Road, Fernhill, Hastings, Hawke's Bay Phone: 06 879 9320. - see familysearch for details.

If they were Church of England both the christening and marriage could be examined, and if you have the film you can easily search for other members of the family. In addition there is an excellent chance that the 1891 census returns shows your Percy Bennett at home in Walkern with his parents and any siblings - and this may establish the links (if any) with the Bennett family living at Clay End, Walkern, at the time of the 1881 census, which I detail below in case you haven't seen them.

James BENNETT	M	43	M	Ardley, Herts	Head	Ag Lab
Maria BENNETT	M	39	F	Buntingford, Herts	Wife
Eliza E. BENNETT	M	22	F	Ardley, Herts	Daur
Walter C. BENNETT	M	20	M	Ardley, Herts	Son	Groom
Joanna BENNETT	U	18	F	Ardley, Herts	Daur	Domestic Serv
Arthur W. BENNETT		15	M	Ardley, Herts	Son	Ag Lab
David L. BENNETT		10	M	Ardley, Herts	Son	Scholar
Bessie M. BENNETT		6	F	Ardley, Herts	Daur	Scholar
Emily F. BENNETT		4	F	Ardley, Herts	Daur	Scholar
Infant BENNETT		1 w	F	Ardley, Herts	G Daur
Ann R. RAND	U	24	F	Therfield, Herts	Visitor	Domestic Serv

You mention Wright's Brewery - and in the 1882 Kelly's Directory for Hertfordshire it has an entry Samuel Wright (exors of) brewer & maltster of Walkern - and Samuel is also listed in the 1850 Directory as a maltster & farmer. If Percy's father was a dray driver perhaps he was Walter Bennett - who was a groom in 1881.

As you know the dates and places of Percy Bennett's birth and marriage it should be very straightforward to purchase his birth and marriage certificate which will provide excellent additional information including confirming his father's name. You might also find in useful to have a look at a guide to English Genealogy - for instance from the Society of Genealogists online bookshop.

It is also worth commenting that the police were moved around from place to place (basically to avoid them being developing strong ties with the locals) and if Percy was married in the same place as he was born my guess is that he didn't become a police constable until after he married.